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FLYING THE ATLANTIC DURING THE LATE 1930's .
What It Was Like Aboard A Pan-Am Clipper….

Clipper passengers took their meals at real tables,
not their seats.

For most travelers in the 21st century, flying is a dreary experience, full of inconvenience, indignity, and discomfort.

That wasn't the case in the late 1930s, when those with the money to afford trans-oceanic flight got to take the Boeing Model 314, better known as the Clipper.

Even Franklin Roosevelt used the plane, celebrating his 61st birthday on board. Between 1938 and 1941, Boeing built 12 of the jumbo planes for Pan American World Airways.

The Clipper had a range of 3,500 miles — enough to cross either the Atlantic or Pacific, with room for 74 passengers on board. Of course, modern aviation offers an amazing first class experience (and it's a whole lot safer), but nothing in the air today matches the romanticism of crossing the oceans in the famed Clipper.

The nickname Clipper came from an especially fast type of sailing ship used in the 19th century. The ship analogy was appropriate, as the Clipper landed on the water, not runways.

Here's are pictures of the different areas of the plane.

On the Pan Am flights, passengers had access to dressing rooms and a dining salon that could be converted into a lounge or bridal suite.

The galley served up meals catered from four-star hotels. If you want to sit at a table to eat with other people these days, you have to fly in a private jet.

There was room for a crewof 10 to serve as many as 74 passengers.

On overnight flights, the 74 seats could be turned into 40 bunks for comfortable sleeping. The bunk beds came with curtains for privacy.

On the 24-hour flights across the Atlantic, crew members could conk out on these less luxurious cots.

Unlike some modern jets that come with joysticks, the Clipper had controls that resembled car steering wheels.

Navigating across the oceans required more manpower in the air.

The lavatory wasn't too fancy, but it did have a urinal — something you never see in today's commercial jets, where space is at a premium.

The ladies lounge had stools where female passengers could sit and do their makeup.

The Clipper made its maiden trans-Atlantic voyage on June 28, 1939.
But once the US entered World War II, the Clippers were pressed into service to transport materials and personnel.

POSTSCRIPT:
Prior to WWII, the Japanese Military became very interested in the new Pratt & Whitney radial engines that powered the PanAm Clipper.

On a flight from San Francisco to China, a Clipper landed on Truk Lagoon to be refueled by Japanese authorities. Later, the Clipper was assumed lost over the Pacific.

Years later, it was revealed that the crew and passengers were arrested and executed, the engines were retrieved and sent to Japan and the Clipper was sunk in deep water off Truk Lagoon.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by grayghost

Truly those were the days.
Thanks for the slice of history.

GG - before you sigh, remember the below:

The only class was first class. Passenger compartments had heavy sound deadening. The aircraft had couches instead of just seats. On overnight flights, they could convert into beds. The passenger space was divided into five compartments. In addition, there was a spacious main lounge, separate men’s and women’s restrooms and changing rooms, and even a bridal suite in the tail. Food was served on China plates, and the level of cuisine was high. In addition, on most part of the journey, passengers only flew during the day and slept at comfortable hotels at night. Pan Am loved to use nautical terminology, so it called its cabin attendants stewards and later stewardesses. For this level of service, prices were beyond the reach of anyone but the super wealthy. In 1939, a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Honolulu cost $278, and a one-way ticket to Hong Kong cost $1,368. In 2010 dollars, these were $4,317 and $11,803.

__________________Life never ceases to amaze me. Isn't that beautiful?

The only class was first class. Passenger compartments had heavy sound deadening. The aircraft had couches instead of just seats. On overnight flights, they could convert into beds. The passenger space was divided into five compartments. In addition, there was a spacious main lounge, separate men’s and women’s restrooms and changing rooms, and even a bridal suite in the tail. Food was served on China plates, and the level of cuisine was high. In addition, on most part of the journey, passengers only flew during the day and slept at comfortable hotels at night. Pan Am loved to use nautical terminology, so it called its cabin attendants stewards and later stewardesses. For this level of service, prices were beyond the reach of anyone but the super wealthy. In 1939, a one-way ticket from San Francisco to Honolulu cost $278, and a one-way ticket to Hong Kong cost $1,368. In 2010 dollars, these were $4,317 and $11,803.

The current fare in first from SFO to HKG is running around $9,500 - not hugely different from the fare then. Still a pant load of money.

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Is there a way I can change "Why don't I have a Custom Title by now?" to something else?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by 1apreferably

The current fare in first from SFO to HKG is running around $9,500 - not hugely different from the fare then. Still a pant load of money.

Bro, in my current grade, for my intercontinental travels I only get business, that too if within a fixed upper limit. If it crosses that (and more often than not it happens as my travels are not exactly predictable) I am encouraged to travel economy !!! So my every 3rd travel on an average to Europe is in economy. And I am never going to spend my own dime travelling first class. So that is as unimportant to me as say fly in AirForce one. I can only think and sigh

__________________Life never ceases to amaze me. Isn't that beautiful?